Kanazawa: Traditional Wagashi Making Experience near Higashi Chaya

Experience one of Kanazawa’s most beautiful food traditions through a hands-on wagashi-making workshop at Koshiyama Kanseido, a historic Japanese confectionery founded in 1888.

Located in Owaricho between Omicho Market and Higashi Chaya District, the shop offers an easy way to add a traditional cultural experience to a day of sightseeing in central Kanazawa.

During the workshop, you will make four seasonal jo-namagashi, the delicate handmade sweets traditionally enjoyed alongside Japanese tea.

Watch the confectionery staff demonstrate each technique before creating the sweets yourself. You will make two seasonal designs, with two pieces of each design, using traditional shaping and decorating techniques.

The designs change throughout the year to reflect the Japanese seasons. Flowers, plants, festivals, landscapes, and other elements of nature may inspire the colors and shapes used during your visit.

Wagashi have a particularly strong connection with Kanazawa, where tea culture flourished under the Maeda family and continues to shape the city’s culinary traditions today.

No previous cooking or confectionery experience is needed. The workshop is visual and beginner-friendly, allowing you to follow the demonstration step by step.

At the end of the experience, package the four wagashi you made and take them with you to enjoy later.

With the hands-on portion lasting around 40–45 minutes, this approximately one-hour experience fits easily into a visit to Higashi Chaya District, Kazuemachi, Omicho Market, or central Kanazawa.